PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK: Gallon no longer running on empty

Thursday

Aug 21, 2014 at 8:19 PMAug 21, 2014 at 8:23 PM

Seventh-round draft choice Jeremy Gallon made his first appearance on the practice field with the Patriots this week. The wide receiver-returner says he spent his time on the sidelines in the meeting room.

Glen Farley The Enterprise @GFarley_ent

FOXBORO – He spent the first 31/2 weeks of training camp playing Fantasy Football.

Jeremy Gallon’s teammates practiced; sidelined with an unknown injury, the Patriots’ seventh-round draft pick pretended he was out on the practice field with them.

“It was a long process,” said Gallon, who made his debut at practice on Monday, “but I just stayed in the meeting room and stayed watching film.

“When the team talked about what they did in practice, I approached it as if I was out there. Other than that, doing extra time in the meeting room is all you can do.”

While he heads into tonight’s preseason game with the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium facing an uphill climb to make the Patriots’ 53-man roster, the double duty – wide receiver and returner – Gallon can handle gives him a glimmer of hope in his bid to stick.

Over the course of his four-year career at Michigan, the 5-foot-8 Gallon caught 173 passes for 2,704 yards and 17 touchdowns and returned 32 kickoffs for 658 yards and 47 punts for 333 yards.

Gallon holds the school record for receiving yards in a single season with 1,373 in 2013 and the Big Ten record for receiving yards in a single game with 369 on 14 receptions (while scoring two TDs) in the Wolverines’ wild 63-47 win over Indiana at Michigan Stadium last Oct. 19.

“It is a big deal to get out on the field,” said Gallon, “but right now I’m just trying to learn as much as I can and get back out there and try to be a part of the team, try to make the team.”

Roster trimmed: The Patriots announced the releases of defensive lineman Marcus Forston and tight end D.J. Williams on Thursday, moves that trimmed the team’s roster to 87.

Forston appeared in four games with the Patriots over the past two seasons, recording three tackles.

Williams appeared in two games with the team last year, but had no statistics.

“U” is for Underwood: Wide receiver Tiquan Underwood (surely you remember his hi-top fade hairstyle), who happens to be the answer to a Patriots trivia question, is fighting for a spot with the Panthers.

Underwood has the distinction of being the only player in Patriots history whose last name begins with the letter “U” to have suited up for the team in a regular-season game (three catches for 30 yards in 2011).

Underwood has one reception for 5 yards in the Panthers’ two preseason games to date.

Progress report: Patriots wide receiver Aaron Dobson believes he’s made strides since offseason surgery on his left foot delayed his first appearance at practice until Aug. 11.

“I feel like I’m doing well,” said Dobson. “How it was this week, I felt good. I caught the ball well so I feel like I’m doing good. Just got to keep progressing.”

From a conditioning standpoint, the second-year player admitted he’s “definitely got a little bit to go.

“I haven’t been out there in a while so it’s just getting my wind back up,” said Dobson. “That’s definitely a thing I need to do.”